Learning Spanish First
California libraries pilot unique literacy program
American Libraries: 5.01.2018 by Cathay Reta
At
age 7, Efren Sanchez got separated from his mother in the crowd at a Mexico
City festival and wound up living on the streets. He never went to school or
learned to read. In his early 30s he moved to the US. Now, at age 52, Sanchez
has learned to read and write in Spanish. He was one of the first adults to
enroll in the Leamos course at the Louis Robidoux branch of the Riverside County (Calif.) Library System.
Leamos is a licensed online course geared
to adult learners. Typically, learners need assistance logging into the course
but, with practice using the mouse, they soon become adept using it alone. A
virtual instructor takes them through 46 lessons to learn how to read and write
basic Spanish. Some libraries set class times in their computer labs, some
provide volunteer tutors to work with learners, and others involve library
staff to provide needed support. Learners can also study at home or anywhere
that has internet access after becoming comfortable with the course.
Leamos @ the Library was developed with two goals: to
teach basic literacy skills to Spanish speakers, and to explore its
effectiveness as a tool to reach nonlibrary users. The results? We reached 117
adult learners, more than half of whom (66 individuals) got their first library
card when they enrolled in the program. Many became regular patrons and began
to use other library services, as we had hoped. For example, since Santa Monica Public Library patron Maria
C. (last name withheld) learned to read, she can hardly put a book down. When
her brother-in-law asked, “What happened to your house? It’s not as clean as it
used to be,” she replied, “Oh, now I’m reading!” In the summer of 2017, she
read 20 books and received a Summer Reading Program certificate of completion.
While
success stories like these have been repeated across the state, they have not
come easily, and they have not happened in every community. READ MORE >>
